Grounding devices for electrical components



July 14, 1959 w, ACE ETAL 2,895,120

GROUNDING DEVICES FOR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS Filed ug. 23,1955

United States Pat 2,895,120 Patented July 14, 1959 GROUNDING DEVICES FOR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS Walter Lach, Chicago, and Richard S. Zapf, La Grange,

Ill., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N .Y., a corporation of New York Application August 23, 1955, Serial No. 530,182

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 333-249) This invention relates to grounding devices for electrical components and more particularly to devices for simultaneously grounding a plurality of spaced wires.

An object of this invention is to provide a device for simultaneously grounding a plurality of spaced wires.

Another object of this invention is to provide a grounding device which is quickly attached to a plurality of innerconnecting wires to connect fliem to ground whereby wires of a wire spring relay can be resistance soldered to the innerconnecting wires.

One embodiment of the present invention may include a grounded hollow conductive member having slots for receiving a plurality of spaced innerconnecting wires to be connected to ground. A clamping element slidable in the hollow member and having slots corresponding to the slots in the hollow member is moved to partially close the slots in the hollow member to thus clamp the wines between the clamping element and the hollow member to comiect them to ground.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device showing it connected to the wires to be grounded;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1 showing the wires in clamped position; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on line 3 -3 of Fig. 1 showing the soldering electrode in position to solder a relay wire to a wire clamped in the device.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a flat hollow conductive shell 11 having slots 12 for receiving a plurality of rows of parallel spaced innerconnecting wires 13 to ground them and also having a tang 15 secured to its lowermost portion, is shown connected to ground by a cable 16 secured to the tang 15. A clamping element 17 having a plurality of slots 19 complementary to the slots 12 in the hollow shell 11 is slidably mounted in the shell 11 whereby upward movement of the clamping element 17 relative to the shell closes the slots 12 in the shell to clamp the innerconnecting wires 13 therein between the shell 11 and the element 17, thus connecting them to ground. A pair of pins 20 secured to the shell 11 pass through slots 21 in the clamping element 17 to limit its movement in the shell.

A spring 23 attached to the top of the shell 11 presses on a plunger 24 passing through an aperture 25 in the shell and urges the plunger into engagement with the clamping element 17 to move it downward to open the slots 12 in the shell 11. A tang 22 on the spring 23 extends into a hole 26 in the shell 11 to prevent rotation of the spring on the shell.

A cam 27 is supported in a recess 28 in the clamping element 17 by a pin 29 secured to the shell 11 whereby the cam 27 can be rotated clockwise (Fig. 2) to engage a surface 31 of the clamping element 17 to move it upward and close the slots 12 in the shell 11, thereby clamping the wires 13 and connecting them to ground. A handle 32 is secured to the cam 27 for rotating it to move the element 17 into clamping and non-clamping positions.

The innerconnecting wires 13 to be grounded are held in parallel spaced relation by a plurality of bars 33 secured thereto and are supported inslots 34 in insulated portions 35 of a plurality of wire spring relay combs 37 which portions project from a wire spring relay 38. Gther insulated portions 36 of the combs 37 of the Wire spring relay 38 have relay contact wires 39 which extend outward and are formed whereby their ends are parallel to the innerconnecting wires 13 and are in engagement with them so that they can be readily soldered together.

A conductive resistance soldering tool 41 of a well known type is shown (Fig. 3) in position to sequentially heat the innerconnecting Wires 13 and the contact wires 39 to melt solder 42 placed thereon and thus solder them together. A low voltage is applied by a battery 43 to the soldering tool 41, causing a large amount of current to how from the tool through the innerconnecting wires 13 and the clamping device to ground, thus heating the Wires 13 and 39 whereby the soldering operation is performed. The soldering tool 41 is manually moved to solder each innerconnecting wire 13 to a corresponding relay contact wire 39.

In operation, the handle 32 is moved counterclockwise (Fig. 2) to move the clamping element 17 to open the slots 12 in the shell 11. The operator then moves the handle 32 and the cam 27 clockwise. Thus the cam 27 engages the surface 31 of the clamping element 17 and moves it upward to clamp the wires 13 between the shell 11 and the element 17 (Fig. 3), thus grounding the wires 13 and 39 whereby the soldering operation can be performed. The soldering tool 41 is then used to establish an electrical heating circuit to solder the relay contact Wires 39 to the innerconnecting wires 13. After the contact wires 39 are soldered to the innerconnecting wires 13 in a particular work position, the handle 32 is moved counterclockwise to release the clamping element and open the slots 12 in the shell 11, whereupon the device is manually moved into another work position and the above procedure is repeated to solder other wires together.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for grounding a plurality of spaced wires, the ends of which are inaccessible, comprising a grounded hollow conductive shell having a plurality of spaced slots extending from one side thereof in a transverse direction for receiving intermediate portions of a plurality of wires to be grounded, a clamping element slidably mounted in the shell and having a plurality of transverse slots extending from one side thereof in the direction of and corresponding to the slots in the shell whereby movement of the clamping element in the shell partially closes the slots therein to clamp the wires, means on the shell normally urging the clamping element to a position with the slots thereof in alignment with the slots in the shell, and means for moving the clamping element in the shell.

2. A device for simultaneously grounding a plurality of relatively stilt spaced wires the ends of which are in accessible, comprising a conductive hollow shell having a plurality of spaced transverse slots extending from one side thereof in one direction for receiving intermediate portions of a plurality of wires to be grounded, a clamping element slidably mounted in the shell and having a tively stilt spaced wires the ends of which are inaccessible, comprising a hollow conductive shell having a plurality of parallel transverse slots extending from one side thereof in one direction for receiving intermediate portionsofa plurality of parallel -rows-of wires',-a clamping-element slidably mountedin the shell and having a plurality. oftransverse slots-extending from one side thereof-inthe direction of and corresponding to the slots in the shell whereby movement of the clamping element in -'-the shell partially closes the slots therein to clamp said intermediate portionof the-wires,- a cam pivoted to the shell for engaging the clamping element to move it to partially close the slots in the shell for clamping :the

wires, means for moving the cam, a plunger passing through the shell and engaging the clamping element,

anda spring secured to the shell and engaging the plunger for moving it to urge the clampingelement to a position '4. with its slots in alignment with the slots in the shell to open them and free thewiresr 4. A device for making electrical connections with a plurality of elongated electrically conductive elements the ends of which are inaccessible, comprising a first jaw having a plurality of transverse slots extending from one side thereof in one direction for receiving intermediate portions of a plurality of elongatedieleotrically conductive elements, a second jaw slidably mounted on the first jaw and having a plurality of transverse slots extending from one side thereof in the direction of theslots in the first jaw and normally in alignment withthe slots'in the first jaw, a cam mounted on 'the first jaw for moving the second; jaw from its normal position whereby the slots therein are out of alignment with the slots in the first jaw, and means" mounted on the fir'st jaw and engaging the second jaw for urging it toward normal position with its slots in alignment with the slots in the first jaw.

References Cited in the fileio'f this patent UNITED, STATES. PATENTS 374,843 Lange De'c.- 13,-1887 1,997,430 Pierce Apr. 28,- 1933 2,113,852 Meade-e Oct. 16, 1936 2,510,944 Auerbach June- 13, 1950 2,699,133 Ames et al. Jan. 11, 1955 2,738,483 McLean Mar; 13, 1956 

